Chapter Two: Worlds Colliding

[Akirapryde]

In the Shadows of Darkness (Part One)
City of Jaoppolis
Outer Rim World of Olivan
Date: 2919 AOK (Eight months, one week after Auro’s Birthday)

The large deep chamber was blacked out as shadowy figures watched for the proceedings to begin. Many never thought that this moment would come. They figured that only a stern warning would have been issued and been done with it. The fact that this proceeding was taking place proved to everyone that Jenna meant what she said about the infighting and disobedience. That it would come to an end no matter what the cost. Jenna had the chamber prepared for this proceeding, and only members of the Saberblades were allowed to attend.

There were gasps and other sounds of shock as Trysta was brought in to the chamber. Her hands bound in rope before her. It was only for symbolism, as everyone knew that even Trysta could free herself from the rope. Her guards moved behind her with their yellow glowing lightsaber pike crossed behind her back. Only a few knew that the hooded, blacked robed guards were Aelyn Qesha and Tern Rorli'ss. Two junior members of the Saberblades and like the rope only a matter of symbolism. Trysta would be able to make short work of the pair before anyone could help them. Everything done, relied on Trysta and her sense of self honor.

The shadows did little to conceal the hoods and black robes of the Saberblades. When they left Fray just over a year ago, all of them cast off their Jedi Robes once and for all. They spent a short period on Bilrylbak 7 once they received word that Graff had been killed by the Chancellor. For many of them, it seemed like the end of the Saberblades. Then Jenna arrived and claimed that Graff was still alive and needed them. It was then that they started to reinvent themselves.

Trysta searched the raised platforms and the shadow filled figures that almost encircled her. There was a heaviness in the air as she walked towards the center of the chamber. Through the darkness, her exceptional night vision allowed her to make out each face in the darkness. Her long pointed ears allowed her to hear each breath. She walked forward with her head held high and her pride intact. No matter what happened, she would face this with the same courage that she faced anything else. On shadowed lips, Trysta heard their whispers. She didn’t blame them for their whispers. After all, she knew what she had done.

Trysta was being brought before her family for judgement. Judgement for crimes she knew that she was guilty of. The events of the past forty-eight hours seemed to be mostly a blur to her. Everything seemed to have happened so quickly, that even she couldn’t explain some of her own action. She knew that she had done them, she remembered doing them. A memory of him, Jaden Starchaser, flashed in her mind. She couldn’t explain why her heart longed for him, but she wouldn’t deny it either. Still, Trysta was proud and showed it as she walked with her head held high.

As she reached the center of the room, she saw Nayla standing there. Trysta couldn’t help but notice the fresh wound on Nayla’s neck. Nayla had intended to kill the two spies. While Trysta didn’t really care about the other, she couldn’t let Nayla kill the one she would later learn was Jaden. The two had battled and if it wasn’t for the timely arrival of Frija, Nayla would be a dead woman right now. The fresh wound brought a smile to Trysta’s lip as she thought, ‘not as fast as you thought you were, huh Nayla.’

“That’s far enough,” Jenna spoke from the shadows.

Trysta could easily see Jenna and Frija standing only about five meters before her. The darkness attempted to conceal them. But Trysta could see their forms devoid of color. At that command she came to a stop next to Nayla. She shifted on her feet as the two guards took up their places next to her. Nayla moved slightly back to allow Trysta to take the center of the attention.

Frija called out from the darkness, “Trysta, you are brought before you family to answer for crimes against the Lord of Darkness.” There was a long pause before she continued, “You are accused with aiding two enemy spies in escaping us. That you gave them the secret weapon which you were charged with securing from the Jedi Temple. Furthermore, you are charged with raising a blade to your sister, Nayla.”

“Do you deny to these charges, Trysta,” Jenna said.

Trysta looked down for a moment as her mind raced. She knew what the charges meant and wanted to deny them with all her heart. And there lied the problem, even in her heart she knew she couldn’t. She respected Frija and Jenna too much to lie to them. ‘No matter what, I will face what I must’ she thought as she looked up in to the darkness, “I deny nothing.”

Nayla smiled at the admission of guilt and knew that this was the end of Trysta. Back at the Academy, Trysta had always acted like she was better than everyone else. She and her sister Kalya always acted like they were prefect and did nothing wrong. Always running around and throwing their wealthy background in to everyone’s faces. The very thought of it made Nayla angry. Prefect Trysta and Kalya never did anything wrong, never faced any hardships.

Nayla hated their attitude of superiority. Them and their friends from the Academy’s glee club. The whole lot of them were simply too much. When Kalya died, Nayla thought that Trysta would come back to the real world. But Trysta only got worse, all full of herself. Nayla realized that Trysta was a lost cause. Then came the mission on Mimar, Trysta made a turn for the worse. And now, here on Olivan, she had just become unbearable. Nayla relished at the thought of Trysta’s death. She almost had her a few hours ago, but the battle was interrupted by Frija.

“I want to understand why you would betray us, Trysta,” Jenna said coldly.

Trysta drew in a deep breath, “I don’t even fully understand myself.” She wanted to explain everything but she didn’t know where to start. “I think it started the day they arrived. I was in medical speaking with the tech about his, I mean Jaden’s injuries. I also wanted information on my own injuries. I heard the printer spit out the latest series of tests. I picked it up and was looking at it. It was the blood and Tox Screening Report. I remembered thinking, hey, this guy’s not a clone. I remember wanting to tell the tech and order up some guards.”

She paused a moment and this allowed Frija to ask, “so you knew in that moment that they were imposters, so why didn’t you call for guards. Why didn’t you sound the alarm?”

Trysta looked down in disappointment, “I don’t know. I….I looked down at the paper and a memory flashed in my mind.” Trysta looked up in to the darkness as she continued, “I can’t explain it. I don’t even remember the memory. But what I do know, I took the paper, folded it and put it in my pocket.” Across the darkness, a gasp was heard from those watching. “I knew that this guy was a spy at that moment. But I also figured that he came here to learn about us. So, I would show him who we were. I wanted to show him that we were more than just soldiers on the battlefield. It felt right to try to reach him on a personal level. I can’t tell you why, but I had to. I had to reach him. To show him.”

“That’s well and good Trysta,” Jenna said, “yet in keeping this secret you placed all of us in danger.”

“As we speak, the Republic could be plotting an attack on our sanctuary,” Frija added.

Trysta didn’t hide her eyes or the guilt within them, “NO, I know wouldn’t do that. I know that he is a good person. I know. I don’t deny what I did was dangerous. But something about him told me that this was the right course of action. I knew I could reach him.”

“And did you reach him,” Frija asked softly. “Did you convince him to change his mind about us?”

Once more Trysta drew in a deep breath and shook her head, “no….I didn’t.” There was shame in her heart of that failure.

“Explain….” Jenna ordered.

“We were in the LAAT, we had just completed our mission. And well, they the brothers had sprung their trap on me. I didn’t know why, but their blaster rifle didn’t function right. And well Jaden is not that great in melee combat.” She allowed herself a moment to smile and laugh as she looked down. She had tried to hide the blush in her face as she remembering holding Jaden out the LAAT door. She wouldn’t have hurt him, but his body close to hers felt nice. “Things had just calmed down and I was able to speak with them.”

“There was so much being said between us,” Trysta once more felt the burn of betrayal as she remembered more of those events. Pain welled up in her eyes as she recalled the time that spent with him. “I gave him the chip which held the secret weapon that the rogue Jedi had created. I told him about the war, how many lives were being lost each and every day. I told him that their lives were now in his hand. I gave him the chance to show me, that their lives mattered to him.”

“And what did he do,” Frija asked.

“He and his brother attempted to kidnap me,” Trysta explained. “When we turned from our course, I drew upon the force and blew out the front of the LAAT.” She paused a moment as she looked down in shame, “I knew that I couldn’t be caught by Auro or his troops. I knew what they would do to me. I knew I had to stop them. I didn’t have a choice.”

“You didn’t answer Frija’s question,” Jenna said harshly. “What did Jaden Starchaser do when you told him that the lives of Olivanian civilians were in his hand.”

Trysta sighed heavily, “he refused to accept the responsibility. He kept the weapon and chose to put his faith in Auro.”

“So, they attacked you, betrayed you, threatened to kidnap you,” Frija explained, “and you still allowed them to escape?”

Trysta looked up and nodded, “yes,” her eyes betrayed her feelings for Jaden. “I may have failed in that moment. Regardless of that failure, I truly believe that I did touched him. I suspect that that seed I planted in his heart will grow. If anything were to come from the time we spent together, I had to let him go.”

Behind her, Nayla rolled her eyes at the notion of reaching any of them. Auro and the rest had become evil, in her eyes. They were but a fading light, as the shadow consumed them. Nayla would have loved to add the heads of the Starchaser brothers to their growing collection. To see the reaction of the Chancellor’s precious son when she presented their heads to him. That would be something to see. If not for the explicit order from the Lord of Darkness, Auro’s head would have been added to their collection a long time ago.

But she was denied killing the Starchaser brothers. Denied by a traitor who had to be stopped. In her heart, she hated Trysta for all that she was. Beyond all that, Nayla hated Trysta for all that she couldn’t be. Rage filled her heart, rage at Trysta for her success, her friends, her skill, her wealth, and lately, even her cursed voice. Nayla hated her, and it felt so good to hate someone so completely like this. That gave Nayla something to ponder. Who will she hate, once Jenna orders Trysta’s death.

“And how do you address raising your blades against your sister, Nayla,” Jenna asked.

Trysta lowered her head once more, “I did raise my blades against her.” Trysta rose her head and gazed in to the darkness, “Nayla had been increasingly aggressive towards me since Mimar. I had to answer in kind. I do not deny that I struck first. But I had no choice. I had to follow my heart. And it guided me to protect the Starchaser brothers.”

“We are a family,” Frija said softly. “One to whom its members can count on each other.”

“Agreed,” Jenna added, “whatever has grown between you two, Trysta, you two must settle it. But we cannot allow your betrayal to go unpunished.” On that note, the entire chamber light up as fifty-three red lightsabers all activated at the same time. The hum of lightsabers filled the chamber as Jenna and Frija both activated their own. It was the moment of truth. The moment that Trysta would answer for her crimes.

Trysta nodded, “I know and I accept my punishment. I have one request of you.” She raised up her bound hands, “I am a Shiloh, allow me to face my punishment with honor and nobility.”

“You don’t know what punishment we have in mind for you, Trysta,” Frija said.

“I don’t care,” Trysta replied. “I do not want to face my punishment on my knees or bound like a pig. Let me face it with courage.” On that, she raised her bound hands, “let me walk in to this with my head held high.”

“You will face your punishment as you desire,” Jenna said from the shadows as Trysta’s bounds unraveled and fell to the floor. Jenna continued, “as for your punishment. You will be whipped, fifteen times.”

Nayla was enraged at the punishment, “Whipped,” she cried out in anger. “She nearly killed me, after I had saved her life,” Nayla said lying. She knew that the craft was lowered by Trysta’s own friends. Not her! But that didn’t matter to Nayla. She wanted Trysta’s death.

A lie that was caught by Frija, “Nayla you are right. She did nearly kill you. And for your suffering, you will be the one who carries out our punishment.”

The guards took up their places as Jenna spoke, “In your punishment, bring honor to the Lord of Darkness.”

Trysta nodded and turned to leave. The two guards attempted to place a hand on her shoulder and she snapped them from her. “I know the way,” she said as she walked passed them. She only paused long enough to allow the rest of the Saberbladed to take up their position. Trysta would be escorted from the chamber by the entire family with their red lightsabers held high.

As Trysta walked from the chamber she exited near the heart of the Mall Complex. Behind her, Nayla followed along with the guards. Around them the rest of the Saber-Blades. Watching from the levels and around the heart of the complex, the entire population had been called to bear witness to Trysta’s punishment. The trial was only but a formality. After all, there were enough witnesses to what had happened to prove any guilt.

Trysta stormed down a walkway that led to the center of a large drained fountain. The granite statue had long been replaced by an ordinary wooden pole. From that pole, many had been punished for crimes against the Partisans. Trysta couldn’t help but notice that dried blood at the base of the pole. Trysta looked to the faces of the refugees that depended on the partisans for protection. The very faces that she now had placed in harm’s way. Trysta felt the burning of guilt in her heart. A feeling that she hadn’t felt for a long time.

Tears filled her eyes as she scanned all their faces. ‘I never noticed their faces’ she thought. She knew that she had a part to play and so she would. She drew in a deep breath and spoke loudly and clearly. “I am Trysta Shiloh, I have betrayed our King of the Heavens. I have allowed two enemy spies to escape who were under my charge. I have endangered everyone here. I have taken up arms against my sister. For what I have done, I am so sorry. For these reasons, I will be punished.” Her eyes fell upon a little boy and his mother who were watching from the second level.

On that note, she walked up to the pole where Aelyn and Tern were waiting for her. There was a determined look in her eyes. She meant what she had said about the Lord of Darkness. She felt as if she had let him down. She would do anything should could to make that up to him. She hated this feeling, this guilt in her heart. She tried to hold back the tears but some leaked through.

Tern took hold of her arms and pulled up to meet leather straps which were tied tightly around them. At the same time, Aelyn set his weapon a side and pulled a knife. He cut the back of her shirt and flipped it forward, exposing her back. The top piece slipped off and fell to the ground next to her feet.

Aelyn blushed at the sight of her bare breast, “I am sorry.”

Trysta nodded at her wrists were still being tied, “it’s okay.”

He removed her shoulder pads which left Trysta completely bare on her torso. The two double checked to make sure everyone was set as the rest of the Saberblades took up their position encircling the large fountain foundation. Nayla walked up like a cat who was eyeing the mouse. She had an evil look in her eyes and a smile on her lips. The two guards walked away leaving Trysta and Nayla alone for a moment.

Nayla leaned in towards Trysta and whispered, “I promise before this is over, you will cry out for mercy. And I will give you none.”

Trysta looked back at her with fire in her eyes, “I promise you this, I will prove that it was you who sabotaged our mission last night!”

Nayla walked back to where Jenna and Frija were waiting. She saw the weapon in Frija hands. Nayla smiled as she realized it was a neurowhip. A sedisitic weapon that not only hurt the body but inflicted pain on the mind as well. The weapon was used on many backwater worlds as a means of brutal interrogation. Happiness filled Nayla’s mind as she imagined the pain that she was about to inflict on Ms. Prefect over there.

Still, Nayla wanted to see Trysta be executed. But then something crossed her mind. The idea of whipping Trysta to death also seemed like a fun idea as well. And who’s fault would it be if Trysta simply gave out before she reached fifteen. After all, Trysta had never been that strong in the force anyway. Maybe she was just too weak to handle the punishment.

Frija placed the handle of the whip in Nayla’s hand, “Don’t go over five” she ordered.

Nayla looked down at the controls on the whip handle. As Nayla was scanning the controls, Jenna addressed the crowds speaking of crime and punishment. The device was set at two. ‘hardly’ she thought as she dialed it up to five. “Time to cry, Trysta,” Nayla said as she pulled back the whip. She leaned forward and unleashed it against Trysta’s bare back. The snapping sound of the whip echoed loudly.